Good Mojo Pan

January 15, 2019

To Read The Full Article, Go To www.cyclesource.com

Article And Photos By: Mitch Bodine

Originally Published In The June 2018 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

Bob Timko had been doing this biker thing for well over 40 years; probably twice as long many of you reading this have been alive. Timko grew up not very far from Laconia NH. Every year during his teen years Timko would check out all the bikes riding into this country’s oldest running rally. Bob was hooked and quickly started buying all the biker magazines he could get his hands on, Easyriders, Iron Horse, Street Chopper and whatever else he could get. For years Bob kept every rag he had bought as a kid, daydreaming about the time when he would have his first chop. Years went by and in 72 he and his family moved to New Jersey. And finally, just a few short years later Bob scored his first scooter, a brand spanking new 77’ Ironhead Sportster®. Bob had borrowed some cash from a co-worker to make the deal happen. Not unlike many parents, Bob’s dad was completely antimotorcycle. Bobby had to push his bike down the street to start it and when he was heading home he would shut it off down the street and hide it in the bushes. Despite his parent’s lack of enthusiasm, Bob started chopping that Sporty up pretty quick, he couldn’t help himself.

He kept that first chop for a decade. All the while he was collecting parts for Flattys, Knucks, Pans and Shovels. He paid a measly $1500 for his first Knuck, a 19389,(hell, ya probably can’t get the grease off a Knuckle for that kinda change these days!) Over the years, including the Panhead featured on these pages, about twenty-five motorcycles have gone through the doors of Timko’s garage. This 48 Panhead started when Bob’s son scored the frame for him. Bob went about collecting parts for the project starting at Nick’s Custom Cycle in Williamstown, NJ. Believe it or not he scooped up the motor on E-bay. Thanks to some heavy hitters in the horsepower world, Baisley High Performance out of Portland Oregon and Mario and Mike from Standard Cycle Company, the powerplant plays a beautiful rhythm. Timko relied on the metal magician in the NJ area, Mike at 47 Industries, for the quality framework and fabrication. Another of Bob’s “go to’s” for quality is Mara Polishing and Plating, as always, they did flawless work on this project. For paint he went to another of his reliable sources, Rick’s Super Paint in Marlboro New Jersey. As you can see here it is beautiful paint work. The seat was done by Ed’s Trim Shop out of Hainesport New Jersey.

Bob finished up the Pan project in 2016, just in time for Panstock, where, in a very stout group of Panheads, it took home the award for Best Pan. It was definitely a good mojo win for Bob. You see, he and Richie Pan had known one another since before Richie started tattooing. Bob was especially proud of the trophy he received that day; 47 Industries had built it from parts straight out of Richie Pan’s own shop! That same summer, he also won Best of Show at the Cycle Source bike show at the place that started it all, Laconia Motorcycle Rally & Races! It is with a heavy heart that we tell you Bobby passed away in December due to complications from surgery. His lifelong friend Paul Bruno, shared the story of their beginnings with us. It started like this: 40 years ago, when I was 17, I started working at Midas Mufflers in East Brunswick, NJ. I was a little intimidated working with a group of guys older than I, but I was confident in my work due to the fact I had been working on anything and everything that had a motor for a few years. I met Bobby Timko when I started at Midas and we clicked immediately. The first thing he said to me was “Good to meet ya man, I want to wrestle you.” Seemed strange to me, but he was the next youngest guy there. He was 4 years older than me so I just said, “Let’s go.” Well, I pinned him, and I guess gained his respect and from then on we were best friends. Even better, we were more like family! We spent Holidays,vacations, road trips and bike weeks together. We went out to eat at least once a week. Every time we got together, it was inevitable that we would get to the subject of motorcycles. 90 % of what we did revolved around the motorcycles. What do you think if I changed this or that? And it went both ways. 40 years is a long time to have a friend like that, one that you talk to every day. Bob had been looking forward to seeing his bike grace the pages of Cycle Source Magazine. He showed what would be his last project, at Cheap Thrills and the Harley Rendezvous. In his honor I’m proud to be putting two of his bikes in both shows for him. Bob was proud of his accomplishments and I know he’ll be watching over his bikes as others appreciate his hard work. He was one of the hardest workers I know, wanting to provide for his wife Larisa, son Rob and daughter Jessica. I’m blessed to have called him a friend for most of my life. RIP old friend and see ya in the future. I miss the hell outta ya! Paul

It is our sincere honor to have Bob Timko’s Panhead on these pages and we send our deepest condolences to his friends and family. Thank you for letting us share his story.